1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to display devices and, more particularly, is concerned with plastic card holders.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Baseball card trading is big business. A single card may, on occasion, be worth thousands of dollars. In addition to their economic value, collectors and dealers will also attach an emotional and sentimental value to cards. Consequently, it is important to protect the cards from damage by exposure to the elements or by periodic handling. Obviously, a well preserved baseball card will be worth more to a collector, both in terms of personal viewing pleasure and in terms of monetary value.
It is also important for both dealers and collectors to be able to handle individual cards for the purpose of displaying, trading and selling them, but without impairing the view of each card. Thus it is advantageous to provide a means by which the external surfaces of the holder are protected from damage, particularly from scratching.
Thus, baseball card collectors and dealers need a product that holds, protects and displays a single baseball card that is quick and simple to use. The plastic card holder is made up of two clear plastic panels that snap firmly together and are easily removable. The invention holds, protects and displays a single card, such as a baseball card. Each holder has a recess and mating protrusion on each corner that allows holders to be stacked on each other for transportation and storage, without scratching or damaging one another. An attachable device is provided for standing the holder upright and adjusting the viewing angle.
Previous and present card holders are made with multiple parts. Card replacement typically requires unscrewing a number of screws from associated nuts, removing the top half, swapping the card, carefully aligning the card, carefully replacing the top without moving the card, and reinstalling and retightening the screws to the nuts. Obviously, this is a time consuming and painstaking process. In addition, some currently used devices use threaded holes for receiving the screws, which greatly increase the cost of the holder. The present invention has a recessed area for the card. Replacing a card is a "snap." Simply lift and unsnap the top, swap the card, and snap the top on by manual pressure. The task can be accomplished in a matter of seconds. The product is marketed under the name "SNAP-IT."
The applicants are aware of the following U.S. Patent concerning card holders.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Issue Date Inventor Title ______________________________________ 4,829,691 May 16, 1989 Manjos, et al. CARD DISPLAY H0LDER AND PROTECTOR ______________________________________
Manjos, et al. teaches a display device and protector suitable for holding a card or card-like object, in which two transparent panels are folded along a common hinge line and the two sides are connected. The Manjos device has more limited life than that of the applicants because the fold line will become weakened and fail. Manjos also requires more expensive equipment to produce. Still another distinguishing feature of the present invention is the novel means for adjusting the viewing angle of the assembled card holder. No such means is disclosed in Manjos.